Southern Spars make two finals at the 2013 Auckland Exporter Awards

by Sail-World on 20 Jun 2013
Southern Spars NZ, an Auckland-based world leader in carbon spars and rigging is a finalist in two categories at the 2013 Auckland Exporter of the year Awards.

Southern Spars NZ has been selected as a finalist in the Auckland Export Awards 2013 in two categories - The Westpac Exporter of the Year award (total sales over $25 million) and the Baldwins Intellectual Property Best Commercialisation of Innovation for Export award.

'To be nominated is great honour, giving credit to the quality of product in which we export' says Group Managing Director Richard Lott. 'With the winners being announced tomorrow night during a gala dinner at the Langham Hotel (Friday June 21st), we will keep our fingers crossed to come out either a category winner or maybe even the supreme winner as Overall Exporter of the Year' says Lott.

'We have been nominated because of our highly-skilled team, ground-breaking and proven processes, and years of experience creating exceptional rigs for race winners on the grand prix and one design race circuits and award winners in the world of luxury superyachts. Our innovative thinking and superb craftsmanship have produced an unrivalled number of 'world firsts', from building the world's first carbon fibre spar to designing innovative products such as our highly-acclaimed furling booms' says Lott.

The key to Southern’s on-going export success has been a willingness to invest and also a willingness to get involved in projects that fully stretch the design and manufacturing capabilities of the business.

Southern Spars has positioned itself as the global industry leader in carbon spars, rigging and rig service. Whether the goal is all-out speed and strength or a custom-built combination of performance and luxury, Southern Spars produces innovative spar packages comprising mast(s), boom and rigging to meet all requirements.

Southern Spars background:

Southern Spars specialises in the design and construction of carbon fibre spars (yacht mast and booms) and components, rigging, and rig servicing.

As the industry pioneer, Southern Spars built its first carbon spar in 1990. Since then the company has pursued a passion for delivering world class cruising and racing spars, carbon rigging and service.

Its operation extends to four corners of the world with centres in the USA, Denmark, South Africa, Spain and Sri Lanka, with headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand. Southern Spars employs more than 350 staff worldwide.

From the founding of Southern Spars to the present, major emphasis has always been placed on developing a powerful team of people not just skilled in their specialist fields, but also fired by a passion for yachting and providing excellence in customer service.

Southern Spars' new facility in Auckland, New Zealand, is set on a 1.5ha site and comprises an 8000m2 warehouse with 1250m2 of office space. The move to the new location in Rosebank, a quick 10 minute drive from the CBD, has centralised the New Zealand manufacturing operations under one roof.

The bespoke design of the facility has enabled Southern to consider its longer term requirements and accordingly accommodate the growing demand for larger and more technically-advanced superyacht and grand prix race rigs.